Ethylene glycol - 107-21-1

Key Functions: Food Contact & Additives, Industrial / Manufacturing, Plasticizers & Polymer, Textile Applications

Ethylene glycol is produced through the hydrolysis of ethylene oxide obtained via direct oxidation of ethylene with air or oxygen gas (HSDB 2012). It is manufactured by a number of companies in the United States including Dow Chemical Company, Eastman Chemical Company, DuPont, and Steris Corporation. More than 1 billion pounds of ethylene glycol was produced in 2002. The major uses of ethylene glycol are in antifreeze solutions, including deicing and anti-icing solutions, and in the fiber and polymer industries (HSDB 2012). In 1999, the United States consumed 1.5 million metric tons of ethylene glycol to generate polyester and PET polymers, 0.7 million tons for antifreeze ingredients and 59 thousand metric tons for deicing fluids (OECD 2004).

Chemical Synonyms 1,2-Ethanediol; Glycol; 1,2-Dihydroxyethane; 2-Hydroxyethanol; EINECS 203-473- 3; Ethylene alcohol; Ethylene dehydrate; Glycol alcohol; Glycol, ethylene-; Monoethylene glycol

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